Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Mahatma Gandhi has played an important role in the participation
of women in political activities in India. Gandhi becomes uncompromising in the
matter of women's rights. According to him woman is companion of man and gifted
with equal rights of freedom and liberty. Woman is the better half of humanity,
not the weaker sex. Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi was the first man to
encourage participation of women in politics. The Constitution of India
guarantees equal rights to men and women as voters and citizens. Presently
there are very few women Parliamentarians in India. It shows that Gandhi's
ideas about women and their role in political life was a departure from those
of the 20th century reformers. In the 21st century, it is clear that quotas for
women in politics have not essentially ensured higher equality. For the success
of democracy, active participation of women is essential. In this paper my
focus is on participation of women in politics in India and Mahatma Gandhi's
role in motivating large numbers of women into mainstream politics. As per
modern theory, both men and women are integral parts of social, economic and
political set up of a state. Keeping this background in mind, this paper seeks
to focus on the share of women in the electoral process of India.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Mridula
Sarabhai did more than any party for communal harmony and for human rights
years before the latter phrase gained currency

It is Women’s Day and memories of certain
amazing women swim into one’s thoughts.

To certain people a calling comes most
naturally. Mridula Sarabhai, daughter of Mahatma Gandhi’s early collaborators
Ambalal Sarabhai and sister of the nuclear scientist Vikram Sarabhai, was meant
for the rough life. Born in 1911, she died at age 63 in 1974. She looked the
rough role all right. One of the proudest women ever made by God, the most
sneeringly contemptuous of cowardice and of ‘safe playing’, Mridula had more of
a brave man in her than a woman. Ever in her Pathan salwar-kameez outfit with a
man’s collar, she looked like she could pound an adversary on his nose without
a moment’s thought. Or shower imprecations on him. And of adversaries she had
no dearth.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

As a schoolboy Denis Hurley regarded Mahatma Gandhi as a
troublemaker who was doing great damage to the British Empire. Later on, as
Archbishop of Durban, he described Gandhi as one of the greatest souls since
Francis of Assisi in the 13th century.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation needs no introduction. That he worked hard to transform himself from Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to the Mahatma, everyone knows. That he fought hard to help India and its citizens to get their deserved freedom is also well known. Though, how much of it is appreciated today I am not very sure. What few know or even bother to remember is the person behind the Mahatma's success. Yes, indeed. I am referring to Kasturba Gandhi, the simple, unassuming wife of the Mahatma.